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Synthetic oligonucleotides containing GC-rich triplet sequences were used in a scanning strategy to identify unstable genetic sequences at the myotonic dystrophy (DM) locus. A highly polymorphic GCT repeat was identified and found to be unstable, with an increased number of repeats occurring in DM patients. In the case of severe congenital DM, the paternal triplet allele was inherited unaltered while the maternal, DM-associated allele was unstable. These studies suggest that the mutational mechanism leading to DM is triplet amplification, similar to that occurring in the fragile X syndrome. The triplet repeat sequence is within a gene (to be referred to as myotonin-protein kinase), which has a sequence similar to protein kinases.

SUMMARYThe syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a common cause of hyponatremia. We describe two infants whose clinical and laboratory evaluations were consistent with the presence of SIADH, yet who had undetectable arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels. We hypothesized that they had gain-of-function mutations in the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R). DNA sequencing of each patient's V2R gene (AVPR2) identified missense mutations in both, with resultant changes in codon 137 from arginine to cysteine or leucine. These novel mutations cause constitutive activation of the receptor and are the likely cause of the patients' SIADH-like clinical picture, which we have termed "nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis."Fluid homeostasis depends on proper water intake, governed by an intact thirst mechanism, and on urinary excretion of free water, mediated by appropriate secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP) (also known as antidiuretic hormone). 1 AVP exerts its antidiuretic action by binding to the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R), a G protein-coupled receptor, on the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells in the collecting duct of the kidney. Ligand binding activates the V2R, stimulating adenylate cyclase by means of G s proteins. The resulting increase in intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) promotes shuttling of intracellular vesicles containing the water channel aquaporin-2 to the apical membrane of the collecting-duct cells, thereby increasing water permeability and inducing antidiuresis.Clinical disorders of water balance are common, and alterations in many steps of this pathway have been described. 1 Urinary concentrating defects associated with diabetes insipidus may result from a deficiency of AVP or from nephrogenic causes, such as Xlinked, inactivating mutations in the V2R or autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant lesions in aquaporin-2. 2 Conversely, the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) manifests as an inability to excrete a free water load, with inappropriately concentrated urine and resultant hyponatremia, hypo-osmolality, and We describe two unrelated male infants whose clinical presentation was consistent with the presence of chronic SIADH but who had undetectable AVP levels. We postulated that novel activating mutations of the V2R might account for their unique presentation. Evaluation revealed novel activating mutations of the V2R leading to what we term "nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis" (NSIAD). HHS Public Access CASE REPORTSPatient 1 presented at 3 months of age with irritability, and Patient 2 presented at 2.5 months of age with two generalized seizures. Both children had had unremarkable early neonatal courses. Both were exclusively bottle-fed formula (7 mmol of sodium per liter). Both infants had mild systolic hypertension with otherwise normal physical examinations. Initial laboratory evaluations demonstrated hyponatremia with normal serum levels of potassium and bicarbonate (Table 1). Both children had serum hypo-o...

Family history is a major risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI). However, known gene variants associated with MI cannot fully explain the genetic component of MI risk. We hypothesized that a gene-centric association study that was not limited to candidate genes could identify novel genetic associations with MI. We studied 11,053 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 6,891 genes, focusing on SNPs that could influence gene function to increase the likelihood of identifying disease-causing gene variants. To minimize false-positive associations generated by multiple testing, two studies were used to identify a limited number of nominally associated SNPs; a third study tested the hypotheses that these SNPs are associated with MI. In the initial study (of 340 cases and 346 controls), 637 SNPs were associated with MI (P<.05); these were evaluated in a second study (of 445 cases and 606 controls), and 31 of the 637 SNPs were associated with MI (P<.05) and had the same risk allele as in the first study. For each of these 31 SNPs, we tested the hypothesis that it is associated with MI, using a third study (of 560 cases and 891 controls). We found that four of these gene variants were associated with MI (P<.05; false-discovery rate <10%) and had the same risk allele as in the first two studies. These gene variants encode the cytoskeletal protein palladin (KIAA0992 [odds ratio (OR) 1.40]), a tyrosine kinase (ROS1 [OR 1.75]), and two G protein-coupled receptors (TAS2R50 [OR 1.58] and OR13G1 [OR 1.40]); all ORs are for carriers of two versus zero risk alleles. These findings could lead to a better understanding of MI pathophysiology and improved patient risk assessment.

Triplet repeats are the sites of mutation in three human heritable disorders, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), fragile X syndrome, and myotonic dystrophy (DM). These repeats are GC-rich and highly polymorphic in the normal population. Fragile X syndrome and DM are examples of diseases in which premutation alleles cause little or no disease in the individual, but give rise to significantly amplified repeats in affected progeny. This newly identified mechanism of mutation has, so far, been identified in two of the most common heritable disorders, fragile X syndrome and DM, and one rare disease, SBMA.

Unlike the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-deficient minicells produced by Fparents, minicells produced by plasmid-containing strains contain significant amounts of plasmid DNA. We examined the ability of plasmid-containing minicells to synthesize ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein. In vivo, minicells produced by Fparents are unable to incorporate radioactive precursors into acid-insoluble RNA or protein, whereas minicells produced by F', RI, or Col+ parents are capable of such synthesis. Using a variety of approaches, including polyacrylamide gel analysis of the RNA species produced and electron microscope autoradiography, we demonstrated that the synthesis observed in minicell preparations is a property of the plasmid-containing minicells and not a result of the few cells (approximately 1 per 106 minicells) contaminating the preparations. That the observed synthesis is of biological importance is suggested by the ability of plasmid-containing minicells to yield viable phage upon infection with T4.

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In 1990, Richards et al. reported dramatically skewed lyonization in a set of female monozygotic twins heterozygous for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The skewed inactivation pattern was symmetrical in opposite directions, one twin being affected with DMD, the other one being normal. Here, we report an additional set of female monozygotic twins heterozygous for a mutation at the dystrophin locus. Similarly, one shows a manifesting carrier phenotype while one is normal. However, unlike the previous report, we find a skewed X inactivation pattern only in the affected twin, while the normal twin showed a random X inactivation pattern. Our results lend considerable experimental support for the models of twinning and X inactivation recently outlined by Nance in 1990, in that these twins probably represent asymmetric splitting of the inner cell mass (ICM): The affected twin likely arose when a small proportion of the ICM split off after lyonization had occurred. In this situation, the original ICM could give rise to the normal twin with random lyonization, while the newly split cells would experience catch-up growth and lead to the affected twin. Genetic studies of this family showed that the specific dystrophin gene mutation was an exon duplication that arose sporadically in the paternally derived X chromosome.